Solitude tire change

[Malco1]

You don't say what year your RV is, so I don't know if you have the new-fangled One Connect or the old fashioned control panel on the basement door - mine is the latter. I chock the wheels and put the controller in manual mode. I then raise one side at a time using the Left or Right buttons. It will get to a point where it will go no further because it's too far out of level. At that point, I raise the opposite side some so I can keep raising the side I want. When I'm done, I just use the Retract function to bring everything back up (rear only so the front landing gear stay down).

Rob

I have both, so I use my iPhone on manual level this way I can watch the wheels while I lower the jacks on one side just enough to get the wheels off the ground.

[fez111]

Grand Design, as do other trailer builders, use lots of CYA messages, and not using the hydraulic leveling jacks for changing ties is one of them. If, and when, I need to change a tire you can bet I will be using my six point leveling jacks to help do it. If you feel uncomfortable about it, just use the hydraulic jacks to take the majority of weight off the wheels, and use a jack on the U-bolts of the axle and raise the tire enough to change it. And, IMO, jacking on one point of the frame to raise it enough to change the tire is just asking to possibly tweak the frame a skosh. I wouldn't do it.

But, of course, this is all JMO.

I agree with you completely. I found out totally by accident that I could lift my 2016 Solitude wheels off the ground. Since then I lifted the wheels off the ground for two consecutive winters, and for the two weeks it took me to install disk brakes and plumbing (my boss kept sending me out of town).

When we blew a tire I had a 4-ton bottle jack. I lifted the axle up but found that the short, collapsible handle that made it portable was too short for me to be able to lift the wheel off the ground while laying under the unit. I felt really stupid for that after I found that I could use the Level-Up system..

[ajg617]

Well, that will cut some weight down on the pass thru. I read the CYAs but did not find the specific weights supported by the individual landing gear.

[Hoopy Frood]

I believe I have read that the individual hydraulic rams are rated for 10,000+ lbs. But don't hold my feet to the flame on that one, but I know they are way high.

[Viper02]

Each hydraulic front LG is rated at 14K lbs and the mid/rear leveler 8 to 10K each.. plenty of reserve load capacity on the system

[JCRICHRI]

I, too, use the hydraulic system to remove/replace tires and wheels. If I'm going to be working on it other than a tire/wheel change (like when I adjusted the height on the MORryde independent suspension), I use jack stands under the frame at key points in front of and behind the suspension system for safety.

Rob

Hi Rob,
My solitude is an s class bunkhouse. 6 point libert . But I’m not sure if it’s hydraulic of simple electric gear driven. Do all solitudes have have hydraulic? Sounds like if I had a hydraulic system I can use it to lift the wheels for a tire change..
Thanks

[Steven@147]

Hi Rob,
My solitude is an s class bunkhouse. 6 point libert . But I’m not sure if it’s hydraulic of simple electric gear driven. Do all solitudes have have hydraulic? Sounds like if I had a hydraulic system I can use it to lift the wheels for a tire change..
Thanks

Hi there, we have an S Class. The Solitude S Class has electric motor and gear driven leveling system. The landing gear jacks are rated to 5000 # each. I have not read what the mid and rear jacks are rated at. I have heard people say they have used the electric leveling system for changing tires, but be advised you can not control the mid jacks from the control panel, only the front and rear.
Personally, We haven't had a flat yet, but I do carry a jack to use under the u-bolts of the axle to remove a tire. That's what I use when removing the tires to grease the wheel bearings.

[Second Chance]

Hi Rob,
My solitude is an s class bunkhouse. 6 point libert . But I’m not sure if it’s hydraulic of simple electric gear driven. Do all solitudes have have hydraulic? Sounds like if I had a hydraulic system I can use it to lift the wheels for a tire change..
Thanks

@Steven@147 is right - the S Class Solitudes have electric landing/leveling systems. The jacks aren't rated as high as the hydraulic jacks, but the real issue may be control. If you can't control each side (rather than front and rear), that may be an issue.

Rob

[hanhartd]

Hi all, so now I’m confused. Am I supposed to jack from the u bolts on the axles or the frame? Also can I use the leveling system to help . What are people doing? Thanks

I just came to this thread to see how to handle a flat tire in my GD Solitude. Prior to reading this I was going to purchase a jack because the manual says not to use the hydraulic jacks for changing tires. But comments here prompted me to give it a try anyway and it worked like a charm. Easiest tire change ever, since the jacks are built in. Not sure why GD advises against it rather than providing instructions to do it safely, but for me, I was able to turn on the leveling system in the Nautilus bay (by pressing the up/down arrows at the same time) and then to use the OneConnect app to raise the right side of the RV, swap the tires, and relevel. 15 minutes.

Figured I would post here for others in similar situations...

[SolarPoweredRV]

Hoppy Oh ya don’t jack on the axle was another no no in the manual. I hear ya about cya comments. I will probably use the leveling jacks to take some of weight off like you recommend! Thanks

At the very least, the stabilizing jacks can provide an extra level of safety and stability for the trailer.